40-year Navy vet gives back through Knights of Columbus, Honor Flight

As a kid growing up in Detroit, there were three things John Macioce thought he never wanted to do: be a cop, be a flyer, or join the military.

He ended up doing all three — and loving it.

And after nearly 40 years in the U.S. Navy and in the Reserves, including service during Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom, he’s still giving of himself, as a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Until he retired from the military two years ago, he was also serving as part of the honor guard for funerals of veterans across the Upstate.

“That’s my way of giving back,” he said.

Although he works full-time now as an investigator for the National Background Investigation Bureau, which authorizes security clearances for the federal government, he still finds time to play an active role in the Knights of Columbus Council 10819 at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Simpsonville. He has served as Grand Knight, the top official of the organization, twice.

The Knights are involved in a variety of charities, most recently selling Tootsie Rolls at Walmart for Operation Hope, which raises money for special needs children.

“We do a lot of support at the church, supporting veterans,” he said. That includes helping families of active duty members by sending care packages, and helping older vets get their benefits, he said.

Macioce also has been a volunteer for the past four years for Upstate Honor Flight, which takes World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorial in their honor.

“That’s probably what I like the best, helping the veterans,” he said. “That’s something I’ve always wanted to do and I’m glad I got to be part of that.”

He recalls once while he had just finished honor guard duty at a funeral at the M.J. “Dolly” Cooper Veterans Cemetery in Powdersville, as everyone had left the service a woman stopped her car and got out to talk with him. She wanted to thank him for serving at her husband’s funeral a year earlier. He had been the one to get down on a knee to present the flag to her.

“She remembered that,” he said. “That was kind of cool.”

The Upstate Honor Flight group also raised funds for Veteran’s Day ceremonies this year.

“That’s what it’s all about,” he said.

Macioce joined the Navy right out of high school after taking an aptitude test during a career day at school. The results showed he would make a good jet mechanic.

“My dad laughed at me and said, 'you don’t know the difference between a hammer and a screw driver,' I said OK, fine. I’ll be a jet mechanic,” he said. “And I was.”

He was a flyer for 30 years, from 1977 until 2006. He flew the H-53, an aircraft that was used for mine sweeping, part of that time. His squadron was involved in the failed hostage rescue attempt in 1980, but Macioce had been relieved of duty at the time because of a death in his family.

He also flew the C9-B, flying personnel and cargo around the world in support of naval forces.

His active duty was from 1976-82, after which he was in the Reserves. He was recalled to active duty seven times after 9/11 before his retirement two years ago.

He came to Greenville after living in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This is where he fled to whenever there was a hurricane threatening, and he decided he wanted to get a job at Lockheed Martin.

He didn’t get the job but liked the Greenville area so much he decided to move here in 2004.